Article handling machine



Fb 23, w32. A. H. HANNON ARTICLE HANDLI NG MACHINE Filed June l5, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet m EHTOR J//gmm ATTORNEYS Fab. 23, 1932. f

A. H. HANNON ARTICLE HANDLING MACHINE Filed June l5, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEHTOR UZ/J vZ/x/amm ATTOR H EY Feb 23, 1932. A. H. H/Junlcm ARTICLE HANDLING MACHINE Filed June 4l5,

1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY um #Qua/ 47; ATTO R N EYS Wntentcd ehi 23 'i932 STATES .dlhldhltll' H. HNNIN, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOIR T0 FREDERIC B. STEVENS, INC., UF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN l nnrrctn #HANDLING MacniNE Application tiled June 15,

The present invention relates to machines tor handling and treating articles, and more especially to electro-plating equipment.

ln devices oi the type indicated, it is not uncommon to treat the articles in a series of steps including submerging them in liquid in a series of tanks and moving them through the liquid from one end of a tank to the other, then to transfer them to the next tank. In

tu electroplating processes such steps may be one or more of electroplating with intermediate steps of Washing.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide means for handling the artti ticles during such processes.

to iter means which will greatly decrease the tlti lili

dii.

'lill space required tor the installation of machines or a given capacity.

liurther objects Will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which lfigure 1 is a side elevation of an electroplating machine involving the present invention.

l'igure 2 is an end elevation of the same and Figures 3 to 8 inclusive show details of construction thereof.

ln the drawings, the machine is illustrated as comprising a plurality of tanks and 16, in the present instance two, but it should be understood that the number is dependent solely on the number of operations desired. "lhese tanks are mounted in a suitable frametvork consisting of the longitudinal channels il? having thereon cross members 18 supporting tanks 15 and 16 and also serving to support certain other parts to be described.

Uarried preferably by the top lateral edges 'ot the tanks are tracks or guides 19 for supporting and guiding conveyor chains 20 which entend the full length of the series of tanks and down the ends to return under the bottom, passing over suitably supported pairs of sprockets 21, one pair of which 21a is driven by means of the Worm drive 22 from 1928. Serial No. 285,567.

a suitable motor 23, preferably through a. reducing gearing unit 24.

The chain conveyors 20 are provided at suitable intervals with pockets 25`vvhich carry along over the tanks work supporting rods 26 from which are suspended the articles to be treated indicated at 27 Suitable spacers 28 are secured to the rods 26 for the purpose of properly locating the articles in the tanks, and near each end is an insulating sleeve 29 for preventing electrical Contact between the rods and the conveyor.

Beyond the conveyors the rods project for a short distance and each end is provided with a preferably square Contact shoe 30 having a peripheral Vshaped groove, adapted to be supported on a square bus bar 31 carried by brackets 32 and suitably insulated therefrom. A second bus bar 33 contacts with the upper side of each shoe 30 and is carried by swinging arms 34 hinged to the upper ends of the same brackets 32, the latter being U- shaped so as to permit passage of the extremity of rod 26. It will be understood of course that the bus bars 31 and 33 will be connected to one pole of a suitable source of current, a lead for this purpose being indicated at 40.

Within one or more of the tanks will be mounted longitudinal rods 41, suitably insulated and adapted to be connected to the other pole of the source of current supply, and upon these will be hung the anodes 42.

In machines of this character adapted for continuous operation, the conveyors 20 are operated continuously at slow speed, the work pieces being placed thereon at one end of the series of tanks and removed therefrom at the other end. Means must therefore be provided for transferring the Work from the rear end of one tank to the front end of the next and for similar means forputting the Work in the tank and removing it from the last.

Means for this purpose is provided in the present machine and three of such units are shown, though it must be understood that there may be more as the number of tanks is increased. There must be one unit at each tank division and one at each end of the series. In. Fig. 1 the machine is shown as having a longitudinal shaft rotatable from motor 23 through chain drive 51. This shaft through worms 52 drives worm gears 53 mounted on cross shafts 54, each having a sprocket 55 at each end. The sprockets 55 drive vertically arranged chains 56 passing over upper sprockets 57, preferably mounted in any suitable manner for vertical adjustment. It is preferred to support sprockets 57 on vertical plates 58 or other suitable elements provided with vertical guide ways 59.

Each of the chains 56% carries rotatably mounted on its outer edge a lifter member 60 which is shown in detail in Figs. 5 to 8, and which is adapted to pick a rod 26 from one of the pockets 25, lift it vertically carrying the attached articles 27 with it, move the rod forward and lower it vertically into one of the pockets with the articles in the next tank in series.

These lifters 60 are provided near the middle with bearing bosses 61 for the passage of f the pins 62 which latter are mounted on special link 6 3 for the chains 56. On the opposite edge of the chain 56 is a pair of other special links 64: each carrying a slide member 65 adapted to coact with guide portions 59 so as to preventlateral movement of the chain.

The lower end of lifter 60 carries a pin 70 on which is rotatably mounted a guide block 71 which cooperates with a suitable guide slot 72 in a guide plate 73 mounted on base members 18 outside of chains 56 and their sprockets.

The upper end of lifter 60 comprises preferably a threaded socket 'n which is screwed the shank of a .small forked or yoke member 75, fixed in adjustable position by a nut 76. The inner surfaces of the yoke 75 are preferably inished to form slides for a suitable block 77 which may be hardened to resist wear and which is backed by a spring 78 adapted to absorb the shocks occasioned by the picking up of the rods 26.

When the chains 56 are in motion, the pins 62 of the lifters are of course carried down under the sprockets and move the lifters down to their lowestposition. In passing under the sprockets 55, the lifters change their angle of inclination so as to have their upper ends alongside of the preceding tank of the series. As the pins 70 pass over the sprockets 57 the reverse change takes place, and due to the guide 59 and slot 7 2 the up and down movement of the lifters is such that the yoke 75 moves in straight lines. This is very desirable in order to prevent swinging of the work pieces.

As a further safeguard against swinging of the work, inclined skid blocks 80 are placed near the conveyor 2O in such position that the rods 26 are lifted out of pockets 25 and come temporarily to rest before being picked up by the lifters 60.

It is of course vobvious that the timing of chains 20 and 56 may be regulated in any manner found proper and by changing the length of chains 56 and lifters 60, provision may be made for the treatment of very long articles.

Further as the upper end of the lifters need travel but a short distance lengthwise carried then up to and on the rst skid blockl and is picked up by the lifter 60 and car;A

ried through the path indicated by line 26a and deposited in one of the pockets 25 which may be either the same pocket or another ahead or behind, depending on the relative speed of chains 20 and 56. The rod is then carriedlengthwise of the tank 15 until it is shoved up on the second block 8() and the transfer made to tank 16.

At the end of tank 16 the rod and articles are lifted out and the articles removed from the rod, which is then replaced in one of the pockets 25 and returned by the conveyor 20 under the tanks to the loading of the series.

In order to facilitate this return, rollers may be 'placed on each end of rods 26 and the with a track 86 upon which the rods are supported while being pulled along by the pocket elements. It is preferred also to turn up the ends of the track 86 as shown at 87 to permit spilling the rods.

Now having describedthe invention and the preferred form of embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the said invention is to be limited, not to the specific details herein set forth, but, only by the scope of the claims which follow.

1. In machines including a plurality of tanks in whicharticles'are transferred from one tank to the next, transfer means comprising a vertically arranged chain conveyor and sprocket wheels therefor, a work lifter on said chain comprising an elongated lever member pivoted on said chain at its fulcrurn,

ing a vertically arranged chain conveyor and Vone tank to the next, transfer means compris- Y.

sprocket wheels therefor, a work lifter on said chain vcomprising an elon ated lever member pivoted on said chain at its fulcrum, Y

vertically arranged guides for said fulcrum, a fork on the upper end of said lever adapted neaaoaa to engage the worlr, a guide liloclr on the low er end of said lever, and a vertical guide said liloclr in alignment with the aries of sproclrets.

tl. ln inacliines including a plurality of tantra in which articles are transferred from one tanlr to the nent, transfer nieans coinprising a werticallvr arranged chain conveyor and proclret wheels therefor, worlt lifter on chain coniprising an elongated lever pi oted on said chain its fulcruin, i udinally adyfustalaly inonnted on the upper end of said lever adapted to engage li, a guide loloclr on the lower end of the aires of said sproclretc. including a rality of i `icles are red frein the nent, transfer ineens coinprisa i itically arranged chain conveyor and wheels therefor a worlr i comprising eloJ tred lever voted on said chain at s fulcruni,

2 er end of said lever pro- A ineens adapted to engage I M ide liloclr on the lower end of und vertical guide for said aloclr "itli the aires of said sproclrets. chi es includi g' a plurality of -i articles transferred from ne neat, transfer ineens compris cally arranged chain conveyor and vlieels the efor, a worlr lifter on n comprising an elongated lever w"oted on said chain ts fulcruin, ed guides for s ilcrinn, ally adjustaloly in ,ated on of aid lever adap o engage le loloclr on the lo wer end of rt-ical ide for said loloclr of sald sproclretv', includ ig plura ty of i ach dirticltea are transferred lroni i t, transfer iii-cans comprisi an ged chain conveyor and therefor, worlr lifter on sing elongated lever i i said chain at it s fulcruin aged guides for said fulcrum, i i cn oe u'per end of said lever proli. yiel grneans adapted to engage liloclr on the lower end of vertical guide for said liloclr c the aires of sprcclrets. cle handling machines having a arate tanlrs, conveyor for movn ticles lengthwise the tanlrs, a tically arranged piclrup and transfer rring the articles from one intr to the nent, said transfer nieans includ ing a vertically arranged endless inovalole conveyor, and piclrup ineens connected to conveyor naeans and adapted to lie moved 4tlrereliy to piclr up an article from said lengthi conveyor, to lift it vertically to a. dis

il li ing the articles lengthwise of the tanks, ay

vertically arranged pickup and transfer ineens for transferring the articles freni one ta-nl; to the nent, said transfer means including a vertically arranged endless movalole conveyor, and piclrup nieans connected to said conveyor rneans and adapted to be moved thereloy to piclr up an article from said lengthwise conveyor, to lift it vertically to a distance alcove said tanlrs, to nieve it forward and to lower it vertically upon the said lengthwise conveyor over the nent tank, said piclrup ineans including an elongated rod having one end mounted so as to inove vertically only, having a portion so located as to piclr up, forwardly move, and lower the articles, and having an intermediate pivotal connection to said vertically arranged con veyor..

9. ln article handling :machines having a series of separate tanks, a conveyor for rnov ing the articles lengthwise of the tanlrs, a

vertically arranged piclrup and transfer ineens for transferring the articles from one tanlr to the nent, said transfer means includ ing a vertically arranged endless movable conveyor, and piclrup nieans connected to said conveyor nieans and adapted to he moved thereby to piclr up an article from said lengthwise conveyor, to lift it vertically to a distance alcove said tanlrs, to move it forward and to lower it vertically upon the said w hwise conveyor over the nent tanlr, said piet` up rneans including an elongated rod having one endmounted so as to inove vertically only, having a portion so located as to piclr up, forwardly` inove, and lower thearticles, and having a pivotal connection to said vertically arranged conveyor, the niounting of the first nientioned end including a vertically slotted stationary guide nieniloer in which said end is disposed to move.

lll.. ln article handling machines havingy a series of separate tanlrs, a conveyor for nieving the articles lengthwise of the tanks, a vertically arranged pickup and transfer means for transferring the articles from one tanlr to the next, saidtransfer means including a vertically arranged endless inovalole conveyor, and pickup means connected to said conveyor means and adapted to be moved therelcy to piel; up an article from said lengthwise conveyor, to lift it vertically to a distance above said tanks, to move it forward and to lill lllll llllli lllll llllli rae lower it vertically upon the said lengthwise conveyor over the next tank, said pick up means including an elongated rod having one end mounted so as to move vertically7 only1 having a portion so located as to pick up, forwardly move, and lower the articles, and having a pivotal connection to said vertically arranged conveyor, the mounting of the first mentioned end including a vertically slotted stationary guide member in which said end is disposed to move, said 4end being interlocked with said member.

11. In a-device of the class described, a vertically arranged endless movable conveyor having a pickup rod pivotally connected thereto, at an intermediate point of the rod, a stationary guide member having a vertical slot therein in which one end of said pickup rod is disposed, said end being locked to said member so that its only movement is up and down in said slot the other end of the rod having a picku fork.

ALBER H. HANNON. 

